The Transformation
by CNJ
Summary: The summer Harry turns 15 proves to be a turning point in his life. He's starting puberty while still hurting over Cedric; to top it off, Uncle Vernon goes too far, pushing Harry to do something drastic that could change his life radically. Completed!
1. 1

Disclaimer that the characters that Harry Potter fans recognize are strictly J.K. Rowling's creation, not the current authors. No profit is being made from this; I'm just writing this for enjoyment, my own and fellow fans.   
Before I begin, I should also explain who Cheria is...she's a character I've added who's a friend of Hermione's. Cheria joined Hogwarts in their fourth year. And to answer Pale Rider's (thanks for your review!) question, no, nothing romantic will develop between Harry and Cheria and it won't be a "Mary Sue" type story; those bore me out of my mind. Sure, Cheria is a good friend to Harry, Ron, and Hermione, but she's closer to Hermione than either Harry or Ron.   
It's the end of Harry Potter's 4th year at Hogwarts and he and his friends have gone home for the summer. Ron, Hermione, and Draco have hit puberty this year and Harry is on the edge of it. He'll be fifteen this summer and will go through so many changes...enjoy, all Harry Potter fans!   


  


**The Transformation**

_By_: CNJ 

_PG-13_

**1**

  
  


_Dear Ron,_

_ Incredible, but another year is over, as Dumbledore always says at our end-of-the-year banquet_. _Cho and I were on the verge of tears as the train left Hogwarts_; _did you notice that? Cedric is still fresh in both of our minds. I really didn't want to say goodbye to you, Hermione, Ginny, Cheria, or Cho getting off the train_. _I felt like I was moving in slow motion and as you know, didn't want to get into Uncle Vernon's car_._ Things are quiet so far, but who know when that will change, as I've only been home two days. Dudley's demanding that he get a car already for his sixteenth birthday_. _I shudder to think of my cousin behind the wheel of a car, especially since now he's out at all hours and I suspect he's running with a wilder group this year_._ I've managed to stay out of his way_;_ so far he's only pushed me into the closet once_. _How are Ginny and the rest of your family? I really wish I could see all of you, but I'm not counting on it_._ You know how Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia won't let me bring anyone over, especially not from Hogwarts. It's a little lonely here and my heart aches a little, but I'm counting the days when I can go back to Hogwarts in the fall_. _Just three more years, Ron, and we'll be adults_. _Speaking of adults_..._my voice sounded a little different this morning and I can't figure out if it's the change that us boys go through with the big voice change_. _You went through it last fall_; _what does it feel like? I mean, did you know that it was going to be it for your voice? I wonder if I'll be as tall as Dad_;_ I'm still very small for almost fifteen_._ You're so much taller than me now_. _I'm upstairs in my room, the upstairs one and right now, Aunt Petunia's shrieking about something, I don't know what_. _I just hope she doesn't come up here. As it is, you know how she is about my writing to you_...   
I went on a couple of pages about the start of summer, but didn't tell Ron about how really lonely I was and how I'd felt sort of moody lately. I also didn't mention that instead of deep, my voice has come out kind of ringing and almost...metallic. I just hope I don't sound too dreadful. I also didn't tell Ron that Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon are fighting a lot more this summer and that Dudley has come home drunk or high more than a few times. Or that Dudley had a scrape with the law in April and my aunt and uncle ran to bail him out. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

"HAAA-RRYYYY!" Dudley bellowed up the stairs. "Mummy and Dad want your arse down here now!"   
"Bloody hell..." I muttered. I'd finished my letter to Ron and sealed it, so I sealed it and gave it to my owl Hedwig to send to the Weasleys. I heard thunks on the stairs, so I started downstairs. Dudley sneered at me and I tried to slip past him, but he tripped me and I stumbled with a yelp.   
"For a wizard, you're awful clumsy," Dudley laughed and raced ahead of me to the kitchen where dinner was ready. His voice changed last year. I struggled to my feet, muttering under my breath, then ambled into the kitchen, where the Dursleys were already wolfing down their food.   
"Well, it's about time you showed for dinner," Vernon told me as I sat.   
"Please pass the mash," I asked. I was startled to hear my voice ring again. Petunia passed it on and as I helped myself, I wondered if they'd noticed how strange I'd just sounded. As I ate, I listened to Uncle Vernon ramble on about his work and about this person and that. Aunt Petunia occasionally butted in with a snide comment about this neighbor or that one and I wondered if the fact that she hasn't worked since Dudley was born made her so small-minded and critical. But then again, Vernon works, but he's not much better. Dudley snatched the peas platter out of my hand when I tried to serve myself and dumped most of it into his own plate. I rolled my eyes and Dudley sneered at me, then snickered. My aunt and uncle ignored his behavior as usual. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

I was working on my summer assignments by the outside streetlight when I heard footsteps. _Bloody shit_, I thought with a swallow and slid under the sheets pulling in my parchment and quill. It was Uncle Vernon getting up to piss. I waited until he was done and had been back in bed a few minutes before sitting up and continuing my potions assignment. Even though it wasn't cold, I was shivering a while later as I got into bed and couldn't stop shaking for a while before drifting back to sleep. 


	2. 2

**The Transformation**

By: CNJ 

_PG-13_

**2**

  


"Out of my way, weird!" Dudley shoved me on the way to the kitchen for dinner a few days later. I struggled to keep from losing my balance, the headed into the kitchen myself.   
"So, Dad, am I going to get a car when I'm sixteen?" Dudley demanded as we started eating.   
"We'll see what the driver's school says when you're done with driving lessons," Petunia told him, passing him carrots.   
"It's up to the province, isn't...it?" I asked, but mid-question, my voice went up into a metallic, ringing sound. I took a bite of food and hoped no one noticed, but a loud _pwwwphh-h-h_...from Dudley told me that apparently he had.   
"Oh, Harry, had a little too much helium, did we?" Dudley laughed. "Or did they put a hex on you at Hogwarts..." Dudley cracked up harder and I desperately tried to ignore him, my face flushing. Wonderful. _Great_, I thought glumly. I asked my aunt for the peas and what a mistake that was because my voice still sounded like a high ring.   
"_Peleez pass the peas_..." Dudley squeaked, mimicking my voice. _Shut up, Dudley_, I thought silently as I helped myself to some peas. My appetite was gone. I was tempted to point at him and mutter some hex to scare him, but I knew that would send Vernon after my arse big-time. Dudley laughed and stuffed his idiotic face the rest of the meal when my aunt and uncle chatted on as if nothing happened. They never care that Dudley always ridicules me. As we were clearing away the plates, Aunt Petunia told me to help her clean the dishes. Dudley started to amble into the living room to watch the telly. Uncle Vernon chatted on and on about the economy, then about a group of kids he'd seen drunk down the street from his office.   
"...sounds like something James and Lily Potter used to do, you know," he finished. I cringed. I hate listening to them trash my parents.   
"Shame that my parents were stupid enough to encourage my sister in her deviancy," Aunt Petunia agreed as I shot a glare at them and put the last plate away.   
"That Potter loo scum she fell for didn't help matters either," Uncle Vernon added.   
"Please," I cut in. "Don't talk about my parents that way."   
"Ex-cuse me, boy?!" my uncle glared at me.   
"I said..."my voice sounded the usual this time again. "Please, don't talk garbage about my parents. I really loved them and..."   
"Don't tell me what to talk about, Harris James...Potter or you'll be out on your backside!!!" Uncle Vernon bellowed, spitting out the name _Potter_ as if it were a stain too awful to discuss in civilized society.   
"Well, I'm sick of you trashing..." I started, but my uncle was on his feet in a flash. In hindsight, I saw what was coming, but it didn't register until my uncle grabbed my hair and gave me several hard slaps across the face. The slaps then turned to punches and I struggled to fend them off, managing to block some of them. We screamed things back and forth, Vernon flinging more insults about my family and me. I just screamed, "Shut up...shut up...just shut up..." I was vaguely aware of Dudley standing by and grinning. One blow landed on my jaw and I yelped in pain and jerked away.   
Aunt Petunia, I guess afraid of a scene, rushed in, telling my uncle, "Stop...we don't want to disturb the neighbors...remember that time Helene called the bobbies on us..." My uncle has his hand raised to hit me again. I pulled away and ran upstairs, my heart banging inside of me and my jaw throbbing. I was also shaking wildly. A storm of fear and rage was brewing inside of me and I actually feared doing something drastic. I slammed the door of my room hard enough to shake the house, something I'd never done before.   
I don't know how long it was, but I heard voices downstairs and peered over the banister. _Bobbies_, I thought. Cripes, the neighbors had called the police after all because her they were right in the living room, asking my aunt and uncle questions.   
"...everything's all right," my aunt told them.   
"Just a small argument," Uncle Vernon added. "You know, the kids going through their teenage years with hormones and all." I'm not sure if the bobbies believed them, but they took a few notes, looked around, then left. I ran back to my room and shut the door. I'd just gotten on my bed when Uncle Vernon barged in.   
"Well, thanks to your cheek and impudence, the bobbies were here!" he snapped. "In your room for a week!" With that, he walked out and locked the door. _They could go to bloody hell_, I muttered. I wanted to send a letter to either Ron, Hermione, or Cheria, but the Weasleys and Grangers were away and Cheria was at her aunt's for the weekend. I lay there, looking out at the summer dusk, watching it grow dark. I don't know how long I lay there. I didn't get dressed or ready for bed. I dozed off a few times, but woke up, my mind still storming and swirling like the sea back when I first met Hagrid back when I was eleven and had gotten the admission notice for Hogwarts. I had to...do something. Do something. The thought rolled through my head like high tidal waves. I looked at the clock and saw that it was two in the morning. As if I were in a dream, I slowly got up and got out the carry on bag I use for Hogwarts. I quickly packed as many necessities as I could, including my Hogwarts supplies. With my wand, I stood my the door and murmured, _alohamorigor_... The lock jumped and I willed it with my mind to open. It did and plocked off. Ideally, students are not supposed to use magic outside of Hogwarts, but this was an emergency. I hope my aunt or uncle didn't hear the lock clatter to the floor. I stood in the hallway a minute. They didn't seem to; I could hear them snoring away like motorcycles. Actually, Uncle Vernon sounds more like a mack truck with engine trouble. I walked quickly and quietly down the stairs, my heart banging, then let myself out the door and into the night. I walked fast still, putting as much distance as I could between myself and the Dursleys as possible. 


	3. 3

**The Transformation**

_By_: CNJ 

_PG-13_

**3**

  
  


I never thought I'd doze off right there under a bridge along the Thames River, but I did, because the next thing I knew, I had a kink in the back of my neck, my shoulders and back ached, and the sun was up. It was almost nine-thirty in the morning. I was dazed and disoriented a long minute as I stood, staring into the street at the people passing before I remembered last night and why I was out here in the street. My stomach snarled, but I tried to ignore it as I got my bags and started down the street. At first I wandered aimlessly, at a loss of what the hell to do, but then I figured I could try going to Hogwarts and asking Hagrid, McGonagall, or Dumbledore for help. I wondered if my aunt and uncle had discovered I was missing. Were they looking in and discovering my empty bed this moment? I wondered. Were they yelling and carrying on or just glad I was gone from their lives? One thing for sure is that they won't have a punching bag anymore, I thought grimly, clenching my jaw. I had a few pounds with me, so I stopped at a café and got a cup of tea.   
"Boy, are you all right?" a kind elderly lady peered over the counter at me as I drank.   
"Yes, thank you." I sipped my tea and tried to remember the street directions to get to the little bar that led to Diagon Alley, which in turn, led to Hogwarts. I wondered if I'd see anyone I knew there. I hoped maybe one of them could help. I finished my tea, thanked the counterwoman, leaving her a tip, then left. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

It took getting lost several times, but I finally found the bar. Hardly anyone familiar was there, but one lady helped me find the wall that led to Diagon Alley.   
"I thought you were home with your aunt and uncle for the summer holiday," she told me.   
"I was, but I need to get something back here," I silently debated on telling her my problems with the Dursleys, but it was too raw and there were several strangers here. Besides, what if she just called my aunt and uncle and just had me sent back. I won't go back, I thought, fighting back tears as I used my wand to tap the wall. The wall opened and I was in Diagon Alley. The tears threatened to spill over my face as I gazed around. There weren't many people in the streets being that it was summer. I remembered how back when I was eleven, the first time, I saw this place, I'd gazed around in amazement. I still felt a sense of wonder even now at almost fifteen, but I was also tight inside with a quiet desperation. _Where should I find Hogwarts_? I thought. The Hogwarts Express doesn't run over the summer, so Platform Nine and Three-Quarters was out.   
"Excuse me..." I asked one middle aged cove. My voice came out in that ringing sound and I cringed remembering how Dursley had laughed himself stupid. The cove peered at me and grinned a rather lopsided grin.   
"Yes, love?" he crooned.   
"What's...what's the fastest way to Hogwarts from here?"   
The cove looked at me like I'd gone mad. "But isn't school out for the summer?"   
"Yes, I know, but I...I'm...I'm," A feeling of nervousness and embarrassment rushed over me. "I'm trying to..."   
"Fastest way is to back out of here and go to Kings' Cross Station where you'll walk into the wall between Platforms Nine and Ten and get to Nine and Three-Quarters," he told me. "Are you a new student?"   
"N-n-no..."   
"Term doesn't start until September first and the Hogwarts Express doesn't start running until mid-August. Good day." With that he bounded off into the crowd. _Oh dear_, I thought. I looked down at Hedwig, who'd been sitting quietly on my shoulder most of the time. I needed to...I looked up and down until I found the stationery shop that sold paper and parchments. I went in and bought some, then looked around for a flat surface to write on. I finally found one in a little alley behind Ollivander's Wand shop to send an owl message to Hagrid. I hoped he was in his hut for the summer because I really needed his help. If he wasn't there, I could try my godfather, Sirius. Sirius just finished serving a term at Azkaban and still doesn't have a permanent place yet. I wrote the note, telling Hagrid that I needed help and that the home situation was too bad to return to.   
"Please, Hedwig, I'll wait right here for you, just be sure he gets this," I told Hedwig. Hedwig gave me an encouraging stroke with her wing and was off, carrying my letter in her claws. I sank down leaning on a wall and waited. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

Night fell with me leaning back on that wall. It was cloudy and the night took on a chill. The streets became emptier and I fought back a creepy feeling. I saw a couple of shadows that reminded me of Voldemort, the evil wizard who killed my parents and had to shiver.   
"Boy, are you lost?" a woman called. I tried to ignore her, but she peered at me.   
"N-no, I'm...I'm waiting for someone," I told her.   
"Have a little tea and cookie, dearie," she offered me a little packet and I took it, thanking her. "Do you want me to keep you company until your chum arrives?"   
"N-no, they won't get here for another few hours." I stood and thanked her again and had to pretend that I saw my "friends" up the street, so she would leave me alone. I wasn't sure if she believed me, but at least she eventually left. I headed back to the wall. _Please, don't send me back to the Dursleys_, I thought silently. I hadn't the faintest idea of where to go, but the memory of Uncle Vernon insulting my parents, then the beating made fresh shudders run through my body and tears come to my eyes. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

I'd fallen asleep like that because it was morning again. I felt stiff, hungry, and sore as I stood. I remembered the note I'd sent Hagrid through Hedwig and realized that she wasn't back yet. _Please, please, let her come back today_, I silently willed as I made my way to a small eatery across the street and bought a croissant and a cup of tea. My hands were shaky and I was feeling a bit weak. I peered in my bag, then my pocket and realized that I only had seven pounds left. I only had one galleon. I looked in the direction of where I thought Gringotts Bank was, but I wasn't sure if they allowed underage wizards to make withdrawals from there without an adult escort. Many muggle banks don't.   
"Do you need a place to stay?" a voice asked. I jumped and turned to look nervously at a couple beside me on the counter. I didn't know what to tell them.   
"Are you homeless?" the woman asked. "I hope you don't mind me saying so, but you look a bit peaked."   
"I'm...I'm all right..." I quivered in a whisper. _Is that a runaway or a throwaway_? I heard someone whisper. My heart began to pound. _No, no I won't go back_! I thought desperately. _We need to find out where he lived_... I didn't want to hear any more. Jumping up, I ran out of the eatery and across the street again. I hid behind the wall, shaking uncontrollably, hoping no one saw me. I hoped Hedwig or Hagrid were on their way here now. Hagrid knew what kind of people my aunt and uncle were; he'd seen their true colors the night he came to tell me about Hogwarts. For the rest of that day, I was afraid to go into any stores or eateries for fear someone would call authorities and have me sent back to the Dursleys. I kept my eyes closed, crouched down until I fell asleep. Morning came again and I could see by my watch that it was late morning. I was too afraid to spend the last three pounds or the last galleon that I had. I stepped into one small store to use their loo and was a little shocked at how pale and stressed I looked. Dark circles rimmed my hazel-green eyes and my mouth was tight. My thick brows twitched nervously from time to time and it was hard to keep my hands steady. I washed up the best I could and rinsed my mouth, which I'm sure by now, my breath was disgusting. I slowly walked back out and saw that the street was more crowded. I saw a copy of the _Daily Prophet_ by the trash can outside the store and picked it up. _Nothing unusual_, I thought flipping through it as I settled down by the wall. But then I saw on the last page, a short piece. _Muggle couple frantically_ _looking for their missing wizard nephew_, the title read.   
"Oh, my God, no!" I half-gasped, half-squealed, pressing a hand over my mouth. I didn't want to read any more, but something compelled me to. It continued, _Vernon and Petunia Dursley are looking for any leads on the whereabouts of their runaway nephew, Harry Potter_._ They first reported him missing yesterday to several muggle newspapers, including the_ London Times. _They admitted to a_ London Times _reporter that this past year had been difficult for them with their nephew, who according to Mr_. _Dursley, has grown "increasingly rebellious in nature_." _The Dursleys say that Harry ran away after an argument in which Vernon tried to discipline Harry for talking back_... the article continued on to say that the muggle newspapers had contacted reporters for the _Daily Prophet_ for help. Oh, God, oh, dear. My thoughts were spinning around like the leaves in the fall on a windy day. No, God...I just hoped they wouldn't send me back...no almost anything but that. Uncle Vernon would make it out to seem as if I'd been the one to cause all the problems!   
"Harry..." someone called, seemingly from the sky. I didn't know whether to answer them or not. I hoped it wasn't..."'Arry..." Just then a motorcycle came plopping down onto the sidewalk.   
"Hagrid!" I let out my breath in relief and ran over to him.   
"I'm here, 'Arry, it's all right..." Hagrid stroked my dark hair as I hugged his huge round body. Something brushed against my cheek and it was Hedwig. "I got your message..."   
"Oh, Hagrid, you have to help me!" I pleaded. "I've been here for...God, about a few days..." Tears welled in my eyes and my voice broke. People turned to look and I felt a bit embarrassed. "I need help; I can't stay with the Dursleys anymore; I just can't take their abuse..." Hagrid stroked my hair again as I buried my face into his lap, sobs breaking out of me.   
"Ssshhhh, love, you'll be all right, you'll be all right..." he soothed, his beard covering me. "We can come back to my place and talk. Maybe we can arrange something with yer aunt an' uncle..."   
"No, no, no, please, I can't go back to them...!" I wept. "Don't send me back, please..." I sat up and wiped my eyes shakily, my glasses sliding off my nose and hanging my one ear. I started to shake all over then.   
"That bad, ehhh..." Hagrid said softly. I nodded and took my glasses off as I wiped my face. "Well...let's go in this li'l ole shop and grab a bite to eat, then head back to my hut and we'll work summat out." My tears slowed to a trickle as Hagrid parked his motorcycle and we went into an eatery that sold food from the States. 


	4. 4

**The Transformation**

_By_: CNJ 

_PG-13_

**4**

I woke up shivering and frightened, remnants of a bad dream shattering. I sat up and felt strange, then realized I wasn't at home and let out a scared whimper, than a yelp escaped.   
"Shhh..." someone soothed. "I's all right, love..." I realized it was Hagrid and remembered that I was in Hagrid's hut. The memory of the past few days came rushing back and tears welled in my eyes. I fought them back and lay back down, still shaking. Something wet and fuzzy rubbed against the side of my face and I realized that it was Fang pushing his face on mine. I reached out and stroked him and he panted and licked my cheek. "It's going to be all right, 'Arry. So glad I found you." Hagrid held my hand until I fell back asleep again. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

True to his word, Hagrid didn't send me back to the Dursleys. Professors Dumbledore and McGonagall came over for dinner two days later.   
"So relieved you're all right," McGonagall told me as we sipped tea. "Oh, Harry, it must have been bad for you to take off so impulsively..." I nodded, not ready to talk about what had happened.   
"So, if 'Arry cain't go back to 'is aunt and uncle, and you say it isn't safe for 'im to stay here long, where can he go?" Hagrid asked.   
"The Dursleys rang both of us today and demand to know where he is," Dumbledore put in.   
"I'd think they'd be glad to be rid of me," I put in. "Fat chance that they're really worried about my safety."   
"I wish I could tell you differently," McGonagall touched my cheek. "It's hard for me to tell you...I think they're concerned about what neighbors will say..." she trailed off and looked at the rest of us. I nodded. They always worry about what the neighbors will think.   
"Like what, that 'Arry'll put an one of them ess-posse things in the Daily Prophet about them or summat?" Hagrid deadpanned.   
"I wouldn't put it past them," Dumbledore told him. Neither would I. They've always felt very threatened by the fact that I am a wizard. We were quiet as we thought a minute.   
"We could ask..." Hagrid started.   
"Ask what?" McGonagall asked.   
"Either the Weasleys or the Grangers," Hagrid slowly finished. "If it's safe for them..."   
"B-but...I can't put them in danger if Vold...You-Know is still..." I started to say, but couldn't seem to finished my sentence. _If Voldemort is still a threat_, I finished in my thoughts.   
"We'll have to evaluate it carefully," McGonagall nodded. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

"Good for you, Fang," I told Hagrid's dog later when he fetched a little ball as I was walking him that afternoon. It was a clear day and rather warm, so I'd offered to walk Fang for Hagrid. I was walking him around the hills just outside of Hogwarts. I passed the huge field that is used for Quidditch games. I'm the seeker for the Gryffindor team. I stopped and looked at the big field for a while. It was quiet and empty now that it was summer. The big hoops at each end of the field still remind me of giant soap bubble blowers. I smiled wryly as I remembered that first game I was in. Oliver Wood had been the Quidditch captain my first year at Hogwarts and had explained the game to me. I'd been nervous and just before we'd gone to play our first game Oliver had told me not to worry, that he hardly remembered his first game...he'd been hit by a bludger and had awakened a few days later in the hospital wing. I'd swallowed when I'd heard that. I toyed with the idea of doing some broom flying later on. I heard a hiss behind some bushes and knew Fang was peeing, so I watched him a minute. Once he was done, I whistled softly and he came ambling over and licked my hand. Keeping my hand on his head, which is almost as tall as my shoulder, I walked him slowly back to Hagrid's hut. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

The next few days passed similarly. I walked Fang nearly every day. Occasionally, McGonagall or Dumbledore would drop in to see how I was. Unfortunately, they couldn't verify that the Grangers would be a safe place to stay. Hermione and Ron owled expressing their relief that I was unharmed. I guess I was, but as for inside...I wasn't sure. I had spells of feeling gloomy and moody without being able to articulate why.   
"Maybe it's the age," Hagrid told me over tea. I was shaking my head morosely. Looking out the small window at the blue in the sky, I even felt the brooding of the blue. *Like a wistful, mournful dust,* I thought. I sipped my tea and Hagrid watched me thoughtfully. "I's maybe the age and the mess with your aunt an' uncle. That night I left you with those muggles was one of the gloomiest nights of my life. Yer was such a sweet baby, big 'spressive eyes...found you clinging to your mum's skirt, crying and crying...Dumbledore bundled you up and took you out as fast as poss'ble...I saw you and sung to you and you went to sleep...wanted to keep you, but it wasn't safe then...dark times...lots of corruption in the Ministry and at Hogwarts...that small group that ran Hogwarts back then wanted only purebloods and power for themselves."   
"I wonder why some people are so intolerant and snobby," I blurted out.   
"Spirits even don't know why, 'Arry," Hagrid told me.   
"Well, I wish everyone would realize that all humans have the same value," I said bitterly. "I'm so sick of snobs in this world thinking that they're better than others...I'm tired of people being so bothered by petty issues like someone being different." Hagrid didn't seem to have any answers to that, so he held my hand while I fell into a brooding silence. I don't know how long I moodily sat, staring into space, quietly storming inside over the amount of intolerance and snobbery that exists in this world. My thoughts passed to Draco Malfoy, one of the snobbiest boys I've ever known. He and I have been rivals since we first met. I can't stand his superior attitude and I know he learned it from his dad, who is even a worse snob than he is. You'd think parents like that would be declared unfit, but no...these intolerant boors are allowed to poison their offspring's minds with their bloody shit about so-called purebloods and mudbloods. And my aunt and uncle are just like that Malfoys. Only in their case, they're intolerant of witches and wizards. It's so awful the way Aunt Petunia trashed and made fun of her own sister. Her own sister, who was my dear mum.   
"It's going te be all riii, 'Arry..." Hagrid told me softly before putting his cup into the sink. I looked over and realized that I must have been muttering a little. "Really, it is, love." Hagrid stroked my black hair softly. I tried to make myself believe it. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

I got an owl from Hermione that night at dinner and it made me feel a bit better. _I'm so glad you're all right!_ she'd written. _Can't believe it's July already_._ Mum, Dad, Aileen, and I got back a few days ago_._ Cheria was over this afternoon and we did a little of our school shopping early_. I smiled softly. I wasn't surprised. Hermione is really into academics and school and is usually the first one to raise her hand in class. I read on and it gave little bits and pieces of news. Her little sister and her folks are doing all right. Her folks were relieved that I was safe now. I was owling back to Hermione when Hagrid came home.   
"'Arry..." he called.   
"I'm back..." my voice cracked mid-sentence and I tried again. "I'm over..." my voice broke again and I continued anyway even though it came out really high, then went into that bell-like strange pitch again. "...back...here..." I got up and headed to the main room. "How...was your...day?" I had to speak slowly because my voice was veering wildly. _The change_, I thought. _How long am I going to sound weird like this?_   
"Ii' was all right..." Hagrid smiled and gave me a little hug. "'Ave summat here..." he held up a bag. "...Fairyfish eggmeat." he told me proudly, plopping the bag onto the counter and pulling it open.   
"Oh...w-wo...ow..." I'd heard of fairyfish eggmeat, but had never tasted it. It's only found in lakes in wizard areas. Most muggles have never even heard of it. So Hagrid and I spent the next half hour shelling it, then cooking the meat. It almost smells like chicken, but it's more pungent and has a kind of seaweed edge to it. It turned out to be the same for taste. Fang shoved his nose into my stomach as we were eating and Hagrid and I let him have a piece. Hedwig also joined us and had a few pieces. It was actually pretty good. After we'd eaten, I was curled up on the cot with a book when McGonagall came by.   
"Anything about...?" I asked timidly, my voice going up in a high scared squeak.   
"I haven't heard anything yet on the Weasleys or whether they'd be safe to stay with," McGonagall told me. "But I have heard from the Dursleys."   
"And?" Hagrid's face went into a scowl.   
"Oh...dear..." I muttered fearfully.   
"Harry, you have our promise that we won't send you back there," McGonagall touched my hand softly. "They just want nothing more than to protect their image and feel threatened by us."   
"You're telling me..." I mumbled darkly.   
"However, Harry, you will need someone named as your guardian so you can be released officially from the Dursleys," McGonagall went on.   
"B-b-but wh-what if the Weasleys can't..." my voice rang at first, then went into a high squeak again that made me wince. God, I sounded awful.   
"If in the event that their home is unsafe, you can be named ward of the Ministry, which means we can find foster care here in the wizard community." McGonagall looked at me sympathetically. "I wish I could take you in myself, but the Ministry doesn't advise it, not for all year round."   
"Well, we can tell those Dursley fools that their 'ittle 'image' is safe 'cause we won't advertise that we knew them idiots!" Hagrid put in.   
"It's a good thing they can't came here hunting for Harry to drag him back," McGonagall added. She shook her head. "They don't want their nephew around, yet they still want power over the poor soul." I nodded. Just thinking about the Dursleys made me moody all over again. Just before McGonagall left, she gave me a little hug. "Hang in there, dear, just hang in there, we'll work out a solution."   
"Thank you, Professor," I whispered. She left and Hagrid and I cleaned up. I read a while more, then went to sleep. I had an awful dream. I was struggling to escape from somewhere, but long arms kept holding me back. I screamed and struggled to get away, but they dragged me back and toward a door. The door was under stairs and it led to the room. The room was the cupboard under the stairs at the Dursleys and as I was dragged in there, I saw my uncle's gloating face. "I hired it to get you, so this time it's in your room for ten years!" he shouted.   
"N-n-no, no..." I cried, but the door shut on me and I was locked in darkness. I banged on the door, then started to cry...   
I woke up, panting, tears in my eyes, and feeling slightly sick. I flipped on a lamp and was relieved that I was in Hagrid's hut. I wiped my eyes with a shaky hand and a few of the tears spilled down my face. My heart was pounding wildly and I tried to calm down, but it was hard. I just hoped McGonagall could do something soon. I wished that I could just stay here for the rest of my teen years, but the Ministry told us that it wasn't advisable since this hut is near the Dark Forest and Voldemort and lurked around there several times. I tried to stop shaking. I knew I wouldn't be able to sleep again for a while, so I put on my glasses and picked up the book I'd been reading earlier and continued reading. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

"Ready to race back home?" I asked Hedwig and Fang. "Ready...set...go!" My voice rang again and Fang took off and disappeared on the path to Hagrid's hut before Hedwig and I even paced our run. "Looks like Fang's already got a head start," I told Hedwig. She nodded, then I ran and she flew and we got back to the hut at the same time. Sure enough, Fang was there by the door, his tongue hanging out, his eyes gleaming in triumph. _What took you two slowies so long?_ he seemed to be saying. "All right, you win, Fang..." I told him, stroking his head. "Only because you got a head start on Hedwig and me." When I went inside, McGonagall was there and so was Dumbledore. "What's..." I started.   
"Hello," they greeted. They looked at each other as I greeted them, then sat, feeling nervous.   
"Harry, we have news that might pick you up some," McGonagall smiled softly at me.   
"What is it?" I asked. Maybe they found out that the Weasleys were safe to stay with after all, I thought.   
"You have other family besides the Dursleys," Dumbledore added, smiling.   
"But...who?" I gasped. "Sirius is just..."   
"Besides your godfather, you have a great-aunt Miranda," McGonagall told me, putting her hand on mine. "She owled the Ministry today looking for you. She is your father's aunt."   
"Last saw you right before your parents died," Hagrid put in.   
"M-my...God....I never..." I stuttered, not knowing what to say. "Is...is she...?"   
"Yes, she is a witch as well," McGonagall supplied the answer to my unspoken question. "She traveled for many years, but is now living right near where your parents once lived. Perhaps we could arrange for her to meet you tomorrow?"   
"Y-y-yes..." I stammered. "I'd...love to." 


	5. 5

**The Transformation**

_By_: CNJ 

_PG-13_

**5**

  
  


"...so Mum and Dad waited almost nine years before they got married..." I realized as my Aunt Miranda told me about Mum and Dad's relationship and their lives before I was born. My great-aunt, who was my dad's maternal aunt, and I were walking along a lake shore talking and listening to the waves lapping the shore.   
"They sure did," Aunt Miranda confirmed. "They wanted to get through college and your dad landed a job in the Ministry of Magic while your mum became an art teacher at a nearby magic/muggle art school." We'd met yesterday, right after McGonagall contacted her. We'd hugged and Aunt Miranda had whispered, "Welcome back, dear." We'd both gotten a little teary, then laughed a little and went into my aunt's kitchen in her flat to get a snack to eat. Her flat turned out to be right at the edge of Godric's Hollow, which is a sort of neighborhood, a district in the wizard/witch world. It was also the same area my parents and I had lived when I was a baby. Aunt Miranda was warm and as we snacked, I knew that I liked her right away. She was nothing like the aunt and uncle I'd left behind. She had a beautiful smile and a casual laid-back way about her that put me at ease. Once we'd snacked on apple rolls and pumpkin juice, we'd gone for our walk. So here we were walking along, me asking questions here and there, she patiently answering. She'd also told me that we had many Irish ancestors.   
"So, we're part...Irish," my voice cracked mid-sentence and I winced in embarrassment, then felt the blush creep over my face.   
"Yes, we are," Aunt Miranda smiled down at me. "You're growing, dear, I can tell."   
"I guess..." I shrugged. "I'm still a bit short, but my voice is...going through the change." I had to speak slowly once again and still my voice wavered and cracked once again. God, I sound so weird. Aunt Miranda didn't seem to care. I could just imagine Aunt Petunia hearing me now; she'd order me to stay mute for several months. Funny, when Dudley went through his change, his voice didn't sound so awful and cracked. Ron's had broken a couple of times, but his change wasn't as awkward as mine apparently seemed to be.   
"Not to worry, dear, your voice will be steady again soon, I promise." Aunt Miranda told me. "With your father, it took a good three months."   
"Did he sound as weird...as...I..." I cleared my throat. "...do?"   
"He went through the change too." Miranda told me. "I think your voice will come out soft and deep. James' was more of a higher tone. But I do say that your mum had gone through some painful times in her time of change."   
"You knew my mum as a teenager?" I asked, my voice ringing, then bursting in a squeak.   
"I met her in their seventh year when she and James first started dating," Miranda nodded. "But she had gone through her puberty phase. She told me about it. She changed when she was fourteen and she said she went through a phase of awkwardness like you. You take after your mum quite a bit, you know." I nodded, smiling a bit. It made me proud to think I'd inherited traits from my mum. If only I'd remembered her. All I could conjure up, no matter how hard I tried was a vague fuzzy sensation of warm arms around me. And even that wasn't really a memory; it was more of a buried sensation that surfaced whenever a woman, a mum figure put her arms around me. I'd felt it acutely when I'd lost Cedric and had gotten back to Hogwarts. I'd been recovering in the hospital wing and Ms. Weasley had come to visit. She'd heard about Cedric's death and had put her arms around me as I'd wept. I'd felt her warmth and ached for Mum then and that had made me cry harder. Even now, I'll never forget the aching tightness in my throat and quiet sobs wracking me. I tend to cry very quietly.   
"I can tell you think deeply like Lily too," my great-aunt commented.   
"Oh?"   
"You had a faraway look in your eyes and a slightly haunted expression on your face."   
"Yes...I guess I was thinking about some things that happened at school this year." I thought of telling her about Cedric and my last encounter with Voldemort. It still hurts sometimes thinking about Cedric. I wonder if I'll ever get over that pain? I must have shook my head or something because Aunt Miranda put a hand on my shoulder. It brought back Ms. Weasley's and Mum's soft touch and I leaned on her and spilled out the story on Cedric...and some of what I'd endured with Vernon and Petunia, leaving out the part about my uncle's beatings.   
"Sounds like Petunia..." Aunt Miranda muttered darkly. "She was always so jealous of your mother." I shuddered a little, remembered the hurtful things Aunt Petunia had called my mother.   
"I wonder how Mum put up with her," I said softly.   
"Me too..." Aunt Miranda told me. "Lily told me that she looked forward to starting a new school year partly so she could get away from Petunia. Her parents were proud of her, but Petunia was jealous and would torment your mother. She'd play mean pranks and do things like trip her and push her into closets. So infantile Petunia was."   
"Like my cousin," I blurted out.   
"Yes, I know how your cousin Dudley treated you," Aunt Miranda nodded. "Dumbledore told me a little about it."   
"Why do some people act so stupid and harass others?" I burst out. I walked toward the edge of the lake and stood staring morosely at the water. Miranda stood behind me.   
"Ignorance and fear..."   
"Can't they just...grow up and try to find out more about what they fear instead of acting so...asinine and being a nasty ass?" I asked moodily. "Surely it's not because they're all stupid..."   
"No, it isn't, although many intelligent people sure act stupid," Aunt Miranda told me. "I wish I could have a clearer explanation as to why some people elect to remain ignorant and prejudiced, but it may be that deep down they are too cowardly to face their fears and try to find out more about what they feel threatened by. It is also lack of self-esteem on their part. They can't bear anyone having more than they, so anyone they perceive as besting them in any way, they feel a need to put down." _Malfoy_, I thought bitterly. He sure does have an addiction to making fun of others and tearing others down. Just thinking about it made me even moodier as we walked back to my great-aunt's flat. I think once we got back, Aunt Miranda sensed that I wanted to be alone to brood, so she headed to her room while I headed to the guest room and plopped onto the bed there and lay back, my dark, stormy thoughts swirling through my head like blowing storm clouds. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

Over the next few weeks, I stayed weekends with my great-aunt and weeks at Hagrid's. My great-aunt and I were getting to know each other really well. She told me lots more about my parents. I knew that they'd been Head Boy and Head Girl, but she also told me that they'd started dating officially in December of their seventh year at a Gryffindor retreat. They'd then gone to college, but managed to keep in touch. They'd become engaged at twenty-five, married in a wizard wedding when they were twenty-six, then had me two years later at twenty-eight. The more I found out, the more I figured out I was like Mum in personality with a trace of Dad. Dad had been outgoing, bubbly, and popular while Mum had been quieter and more reserved like me. Mum also had written for the Hogwarts newspaper. Sometimes, Hagrid, Aunt Miranda and I would have dinner together on Fridays. I walked and otherwise helped Hagrid take care of Fang. And on and off my voice continued to crack and I also had moody spells at times. Thank the wizards' spells that Aunt Miranda and Hagrid understood about the moods I'd been having and let me brood in peace. I brooded about different things, but some recurring themes were the Dursleys and their narrow-mindedness, my oddness, my face, which I never thought looked that great, prejudices and snobbiness of certain people I'd come across in my life, losing Cedric, Voldemort's still being a threat to wizards and witches.   
"Let's stop being afraid to say his name," I told Hagrid and Miranda at one dinner. "Just say his name...Voldemort! The more we say dumb things like _You Know Who_ and _He Who Can't Be Named_, the more power we give him and the evil world over us! What's going to happen, he'll zoom over here and kill us all?" I threw my fork onto the table, looking from one to another. Hagrid and Aunt Miranda looked at each other, then me.   
"I really wish we could, 'Arry," Hagrid stirred his tea, then sucked on the bag. He likes to get everything he can out of a cup of tea. Occasionally he'll even eat the bag. "Don't really know how we started avoiding his name. But 'Arry, your suggestion sound wonderful, but I think you need to hold off just yet when you're out in the world. Our fellow witches and wizard might not understand and could misinterpret your intent, 'Arry, so be careful."   
"I think some wizard/witch parents had a fear that their offspring could pick up on ideas for dark lord names and could be influenced by...Voldemort," Aunt Miranda put in. I could see that point some. I just hoped in the near future, more of us could have the courage to actually say _Voldemort_. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

"So, Harry, what would you like to do for your upcoming birthday?" Aunt Miranda asked as we walked into her living room one Friday evening after we'd eaten at the Raven's Den. I didn't really know what I wanted...maybe a cake perhaps.   
"I'm...not sure," I shrugged.   
"Cake, perhaps?" Auntie asked me. I nodded. We stood a minute, watching the sun set. The light sparkled with an orange glow in the living room. My great-aunt's flat is a wonderful little place. Of course Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon would look down the noses at it and consider it shabby with its imperfectly matched chairs and coffee table and its kitchen table with a marble design on top with blue sand-design chairs, and some of the off-white wall paint streaked, but to me it was lovely. It was so hard to believe I'd be fifteen in another week.   
"You're growing so fast..." Aunt Miranda held me close a minute and I leaned on her, soaking in her warm arms and sweet scent. She stroked my black hair for a long time. "Just like I watched your dad grow. Just like I imagine your mum grew in her teenage years." Thanks to Aunt Miranda, I felt like I was getting closer to my parents than I'd ever been. "Harry...how would you like to have me as your legal guardian?"   
"Yes..." I whispered. "I'd...I'd like that." The thought of having her in my life for good filled my heart and I was grateful to her. "Thank you so much, Aunt Miranda." 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

I stayed the week at Hagrid's the week before my birthday while Aunt Miranda had several meetings with Dumbledore and McGonagall. I still had bouts of moodiness, but now that I knew I had Aunt Miranda, they were easier to bear. I also exchanged owls with Ron, Ginny, Hermione, and Cheria several times over these past few weeks. Ron and Ginny invited me over to their place, the Burrow, for two weeks near the end of August. _We can go to Diagon Alley to shop for our fifth-year supplies then_, Ron penned in one letter. I also had several nights of strange dreams, a few of them nightmares. In one particularly bad dream, I was sitting on my broom in the air and a Quidditch match was starting. At first, since I'm a Beater for the Gryffindors, I was able to bat the Quaffle away from the posts, but then I saw a Bludger zooming at me. I tensed and began to duck and to my horror, it had these pale, pale, glimmery eyes sneering at me. The eyes were Voldemort's and I cried out, pointing at the other players that Voldemort was after me and would kill not only me, but all of us if we didn't look out. The Voldemort-eyed Bludger seemed to slowly head toward me and I began to shake. _Your dear parents are dead and today it's your turn, Harry_..._you always were a stubborn boy and you'll pay just the way your mummy did for her stubborness_, it seemed to hiss. I tried to fly away and maybe wave to the others to warn them, but the Bludger-Voldemort zoomed at me and I fell off the broom and hit the ground with a painful jolt. I was struggling to keep my eyes open and I could hear the audience scream and gasp. The Bludger-Voldemort was right at my face and was reaching tentacles out. _No_..._no!_ I pleaded. It'd suck blood out of me like it did to Cedric! _No_..._no_..._God, no_...   
_No, oh my God_, "...nooooo!" I wailed and sat up abruptly, feeling sick to my stomach, shaking violently, and my heart pounding with enough force to nearly hurl me off the bed. "Oh, God...oh, God..." My voice came out in a high-wail and I pressed a hand over my mouth. I felt tears in my eyes and my hand was vibrating against my mouth. I turned on a lamp by my bed and remembered to my great relief that I was at my great-aunt's. Aunt Miranda was in the door just then, peering at me with such concern that the tears spilled over my face. She came over and hugged me then. I think she knew I'd had a nightmare. She stroked me a long minute, asking softly if I wanted to talk about it. I shook my head and she hugged me more. I slowly stopped shivering and crying and my heart rate slowly returned to normal. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~   


I fell back asleep slowly and woke up halfway early in the morning. My aunt must have gone out because she came back and had Hagrid, McGonagall, and Dumbledore with her. The sky was just turning light and I lay between sleep and wakefulness, listening to what they were saying.   
"...so the Dursleys at first just wanted to have Harry under them again, so he wouldn't be a threat to them," McGonagall was saying. "But I told them that we were on to them and that we'd be watching them and if they got Harry back and ever mistreated him again, they'd face an embarrassing scandal in both the magical world and the muggle world. I must say Vernon had a tantrum right there and said that no 'freaks' were going to be watching his house and everything. Dumbledore and I told him that's how it was going to be, either take it or leave it."   
"They had this look as it was when I told them I was Harry's great-aunt," Miranda put in.   
"It was luck that you had the paper to show them as proof of your relation to Harry," McGonagall put in.   
"And that cousin of 'Arry's peered down the steps and his uncle told him to stay upstairs," Hagrid put in with a chuckle. I smiled faintly as I remembered the first encounter the Dursleys had with Hagrid. Hagrid had handed me the notice of my admission to Hogwarts back on my eleventh birthday and also had a cake meant for me. But Dudley had sneaked over there and tried to eat the entire thing and Hagrid saw it and on top of that Uncle Vernon started bad-mouthing Dumbledore and Hogwarts, which made Hagrid so disgusted that he'd added a pig's tail on Dudley's arse. That had sent all three Dursleys in a panic. Gathering from what I was hearing of their discussion now, it appeared that Professor McGonagall, Aunt Miranda, and Hagrid had gone over to the Dursleys and were now telling Dumbledore how it went.   
"...Uncle Vernon paced around a long time and Aunt Petunia just glared at us," McGonagall went on. "I guess Vernon and Petunia decided it was in their best interest to let Harry go, so they signed the paper surrendering their right of guardianship and turning it over to Miranda. Meanwhile, Hagrid went upstairs and packed the rest of Harry's things and...here they are..." there were several thunks as bags or something were dropped onto the floor. _Wow_, I thought. _So I don't have to ever go back to the Dursleys!_ I thought, a soft joyful feeling of peace settling over me.   
"Let me just bring in the rest o' 'Arry's things..." Hagrid added.   
"You three will be relieve to know that I cleared things with the Ministry and Harry will be safest with Miranda," Professor Dumbledore put in. "The security spell has been activated here. So I must go on back to Hogwarts and continue with other matters as well, if the three of you will excuse me. Congratulations, Miranda, my dear and give my birthday wishes to young Harry when he awakens." As I drifted off to sleep, I could hear them talking more, but it was just a garble. All's I knew now was that I would be able to stay with Aunt Miranda. I'd have a loving home to return to for summer breaks and maybe for Christmas too. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

"Happy birthday, darling Harry!" Aunt Miranda hugged me as soon as I got out of bed later that morning. I'd slept like a drugged animal until ten-thirty, then slowly got up. I was still in my sleepwear, a T-shirt and pajama bottoms.   
"Thnnks..." I muttered, rubbing the sleep out of my eyes.   
"'Appy bir'day, 'Arry..." Hagrid also gave me a hug.   
"Oh, thanks..." I rubbed my eyes a little more, then straightened my glasses and sat. Aunt Miranda and Hagrid had cooked up a little brunch of some of my favorite foods.   
"Harry...you'll be happy to know that Dumbledore and McGonagall gave their all right for me to become your guardian," My aunt told me. "Never will you have to return to the Dursleys."   
"We gave those muggles a 'ittle scare," Hagrid put in with a grin. "Nuthing 'Ancy, just that they'd be watched if they'd ever took you back and if they did anything more to you, they'd face a big public scandal. Didn't want us watching them and didn't want no scandal either, so they gave up and just signed the papers giving Miranda the right to keep you on."   
"Thanks...you've been...great," I sipped my tea. We ate and talked a while more and the subject once again drifted to my parents. Miranda told me that my dad's birthday had been February 16 while Mum's birthday had been in September, September 12.   
"...so you actually helped Mum have me?" I asked.   
"Yes, I did," Miranda nodded. "What a lovely baby you were. Actually, your parents weren't expecting you for another week."   
"So my birthday was almost in August," I mused.   
"It was early afternoon when Lily went into labor. She was working half-days and so was James. She was on her way home when her water broke and she got home and called James and me. We both got there almost at the same time and James said something like _it's not due for another week?_ Lily was sprawled on the couch, holding her abdomen and said, _I know, but it's decided it wants to come out now_. So we got Lily to lay down and she gave birth to you there. It was a mostly easy labor despite it being a breech birth with your feet coming out first and you let out that first cry and we knew you'd be all right. You were so sweet with thick black hair and green solemn eyes and once you calmed down, you peered around and Lily cried then too. By then Dr. Suman had arrived and she checked you over and pronounced you a healthy little boy. By then, your mum and dad were living in the house in Godric's Hollow and had your room ready. All of us fell in love with you the minute you were born. You were a very sweet baby." It was a bit strange and funny hearing about myself as a baby. "I remember going over and sometimes I'd find out rubbing a wooden spoon on a pan lid and your mum singing as she did either put together dinner or graded papers."   
"Maybe that's where I get my love of music?" I put in, my eyebrows going up a little. It's something I discovered in the last year or so. I took a dance class as well and learned how to play several magical instruments, including the bariol, which is almost like the violin, a muggle instrument, but it has more notes and can make melodies that sound like underwater musical bubbles. I guess you have to hear it to know what I'm talking about. Well, it _looks_ a lot like a violin, except a little rounder. I seriously was thinking of going into either that or dance as a career. I'm fifteen now and soon it would be time to map out our adult lives.   
"Possibly," Aunt Miranda stroked my hair and she and Hagrid chuckled. It turned out to be one of the nicest birthdays I'd ever had. Once I'd gotten dressed, Aunt Miranda and Hagrid took me out walking for a while and we passed my the house that my parents had once lived in. It was rumored that the Gryffindor family had several houses in this area at one time. It was also suspected that some of Miranda's and my ancestors had known some of the Gryffindors back in the 1800's, when the Potters and the Evans first fled the potato famine in Ireland and landed near here and some of the Gryffindors helped them get on their feet. Strange seeing that house. It was a quiet area and the house was set back a little on a circle. The houses in Godric's Hollow aren't all in rows on some straight street, but are scattered in clusters here and there and there are a lot of circles and squares that gather the clusters. The streets are very narrow and there aren't many cars. Slowly we then walked back to my aunt's flat. On the way, my great-aunt told me that Sirius was coming over and would join us for dinner. Her friend Wilma would also join us and we'd head out to eat. I looked worriedly over at Hagrid to make sure it would be all right with him, since for a while he believed Sirius had been guilty, but he must have sensed my anxiety.   
"Not to worry, 'Arry," he said, "Sirius and I did a little talking early this summer, and I figure since he's important to you and you to 'im, he's not the villain I thought he was."   
We did have a nice dinner at Quinin Eatery. Sirius came in after us and we hugged. "So glad you're all right, dear..." Sirius whispered.   
"It's good seeing you again," I put in. By then, Wilma had arrived and she and Miranda hugged.   
"Harry, welcome back to the magical world, dear," she smiled and gave me a hug.   
"Thank you...pleasure meeting you." The place was dim and the sounds muted. Several of us did catching up and it was around nine by the time we got back to my great-aunt's flat. By then, it was growing dark. On the door of my great-aunt's flat was a sign, _Welcome back to The Magical World and May All Good Spirits Be With You, Harry_.   
"Wow...how did they...?" I looked over at the adults, but they smiled at each other.   
"It's good to have you back with us, Harry," Sirius told me. I was touched by the gesture, whoever it was.   
"Who wants tea?" Aunt Miranda asked once we got inside. We all did, so Sirius and Miranda got the tea ready and I could smell something like matches. _Oh, the cake_, I mouthed softly and Hagrid and Wilma grinned at me. It was a pleasant, waxy smell mingled with a sweet smell of frosting. _Orange_, I thought. Aunt Miranda knew that I liked orange frosting. Hagrid then turned off the living room light and Aunt Miranda came in with the candlelit cake.   
"Oh..." I blushed.   
"_Haaaappy birthday to yoooooou_..." everyone sang as Miranda put the cake on the table. They all sang out the birthday song and Hagrid blew a little curvy pipe at the end.   
"Make a wish, 'Arry!" Hagrid boomed. I looked at the cake a minute, seeing the lovely chocolate letters reading _Happy 15th Birthday, Dear Harry_, then closed my eyes and blew out all 15 floating candles. Everyone clapped and whooped and I smiled softly.   
"Thank...you, everyone," I said softly. My voice came out soft and deep at first, then cracked at the end. We dug into the cake, then Miranda, and the others each had a gift for me. So did Ron, and my other friends via owl, so Miranda brought them over to the table. They were really nice gifts too and I could feel each one coming from the heart. I smiled softly as I remembered that Dudley had gotten all these expensive gifts like color tellys and designer toys, but would never show appreciation for them. He'd just throw a tantrum if they were any less numerous or expensive than before. The gifts I had now weren't expensive, but they were things I could use and that were sincere. _Thank the stars I won't have to sit through any more of Dudley's birthdays_, I thought in relief as I hugged each of the others here with me now, thanking them. I'd have to owl my friends later on and thank them too.   
I was looking over a magical prism that Hermione had sent when Aunt Miranda said softly, "If Lily and James were here today, they'd be so proud of their dear son. What a trooper you are, Harry." She stroked my cheek and suddenly I was overcome with a deep emotion I couldn't identify. I guess looking back on it, it was a feeling of being finally loved and accepted and being just touched nicely and an experience of stress pouring out. Tears welled in my eyes without warning and spilled down over my face. I couldn't fight them back. Sirius handed me a tissue and I just leaned on my godfather, weeping softly. My great-aunt stroked my back and a few minutes later, I leaned on her, the tears still coming. I don't know how long I cried, but I could vaguely hear soft murmurs and an occasional stroke on my back and hair. "...been through a lot this summer..." "...pull through..." Eventually, my tears slowed and I sat up shakily and wiped my eyes. Aunt Miranda handed me more tissues and I had to wipe my glasses since tears were dripping from them. I felt myself grow calmer and more at peace as we had more tea and cake and talked until late that night. 


	6. 6

Thanks for the great reviews, everyone; they were helpful! There will be other stories very soon on Harry; look for more! Meanwhile, enjoy this last piece!   
  
  


**The Transformation**

_By_: CNJ 

_PG-13_

**6**

  
  
  


"What a good thing that this last book for Divination is so tiny!" Ron told me as we pushed our loaded carriers along Westmines Street through Diagon Alley. Today, on the 25th of August was our back-to-school shopping day and we'd loaded up on everything we needed to start our fifth year at Hogwarts, in Ginny's case, her fourth year. All of us...Ron, Hermione, Cheria, Ginny, and I had met at the Leaky Cauldron to get our supplies. Looking down, I nodded. Yes, I now had everything.   
"I don't suppose the recent death eater incidents will have any affect yet on our classes the first month," Hermione put in.   
"I hope not..." I said softly. My voice is now soft and deep. It still very occasionally cracks, but is now smoother. It's hard to believe that it's my voice now; it'll take a while to get used to. My great-aunt has been so great; she's stood by me all the way this entire rocky summer. She was now at the Leaky Cauldron with Cheria's mum, Weasleys and the Grangers having tea while we shopped. I was looking forward to a new school year, which was starting September 2nd. We'd catch the Hogwarts train that Sunday on the 1st. I'd spent the past week at the Weasleys and Hermione and Cheria had dropped by for a few hours a couple of days ago. My eyeglass prescription had changed, so in early August, Aunt Miranda had taken me to get an eye exam and my glasses changed. I still wear the same wire-rimmed round glasses, but the lenses are new. I've gotten even more nearsighted. Oh, well. I smiled wryly as I remembered hearing that both of my parents had worn glasses. Mum had been farsighted, however, so she'd only needed them for reading and close-up work. The death eater activity that Hermione referred to was that some of them had been sleezing around Diagon Alley a week ago and Professor McGonagall and Dumbledore had been there and chased them off. It was a good thing the death eaters didn't seem to want to tangle with either Dumbledore or McGonagall.   
"Did you all hear about the huge fight Snape got into with Professor Landquist?" Cheria asked.   
"No..." we shook our heads.   
"Didn't hear the entire thing, but I was by the wand shop and heard Landquist ask McGonagall something on Snape and Snape I guess heard and came rushing out of the back and yelling his head off. McGonagall told him to quiet down and Snape carried on for a few minutes, something about somebody accusing him of spying for the death eaters and all and he yelled that he'd had enough of this crap and all. Finally, McGonagall told him to settle down, that everyone was staring. Everyone was and I think that shut him up and he stalked off, muttering under his breath. Landquist kind of snickered and McGonagall gave her a look." We all chuckled some as we headed toward the Leaky Cauldron. We came into the dim place and I remembered my first time here, back when I was eleven and with Hagrid. I blushed slightly as I remembered how everyone had looked at me when Hagrid said my name and I realized that I was somewhat of a celebrity in the wizard world. I'd blushed a deep red back then and had asked Hagrid, "Why am I famous?" A hand waved and we spotted Molly Weasley's red hair. We wove our way over through the crowd. There were a few other families there and I figured a lot of students were here getting their supplies. We sat, shifting the bulks of our supplies among us.   
"Successful mission, I see," Molly smiled at us.   
"Hiii, is that your owl?" Hermione's six-year-old sister Aileen asked, referring to Hedwig, my owl.   
"Yes, it is," I smiled at her. We talked for while, catching up, then had dinner. As we were almost done eating, a tall cove with a long green robe passed by and smirked over at us.   
"Oh, God..."Arthur murmured, his green eyes widening.   
"I don't suppose any of you have seen Lucius Malfoy here, have you?" he purred, his pale eyes peering at us.   
"No..." we all told him. A death eater, I realized. Yes, they are around still.   
"Some of you go to Hogwarts with his son, is that correct?" He still stared, unblinking.   
"Yes, but we're...distant," Ron supplied. "We don't have any connection with Luscious...I mean luck...Mr. Malfoy." I saw our parents stifling a laugh and had to bite back a smile myself. The death eater, I think then realized he wasn't going to worm any more information out of us and walked on, striding out of the Leaky Cauldron. Once he was gone, we all laughed.   
"Good one, Ron," Hermione told him.   
"Luscious Malfoy," Ginny put in.   
"Hey, maybe I could use that new nickname to keep Malfoy at bay if he gives us any grief this year," Ron put in with a grin. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

"Ready?" Ron asked as our group headed toward the wall that separated Platform Nine and Three Quarters from the muggle world.   
"Almost..." I turned and gave Aunt Miranda one last long kiss . "Goodbye..." I hugged her, sorry to leave her so soon. "I'm going to...m-miss you...I'll be back for Christmas..." I closed my eyes, fighting back tears.   
"Goodbye, darling..." Aunt Miranda whispered, stroking my black hair. It was sooo good having a mum figure with her arms around me again! I'd missed that for so long. We parted reluctantly and Ron went first, then I waved as I went onto Platform Nine-and Three Quarters. It was a bit harder this time to see my aunt's image fade, but now it was time to start my fifth year, ready or not.   
  
  
  


_~~Storyline Copyright by CNJ~~_


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